


Sweeter by the Hour

by frankccstle



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Bakery, F/M, Harassment, One Shot, Reader-Insert, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 06:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12906309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frankccstle/pseuds/frankccstle
Summary: You own an adorable bakery next to a construction site, where your step-brother works. When you start bringing him lunch every day, someone catches your eye and you find yourself coming back — and not only for your brother.





	Sweeter by the Hour

TRUTH BE TOLD, when you first heard that your step-brother was starting a new job at a construction site, you weren't moved by the news in the slightest. However, when you found out that it happened to be quite near your small, adorable bakery — you should have figured that out, really, the noise had been annoying you for weeks now — you began to see it as an opportunity to bond with him better. You had to accept that you were family, and with that in mind, you picked up a habit of stopping by every lunch break to bring him something fresh out of the oven. 

    Needless to say, when you first showed up with a small box of cupcakes, your step-brother had struggled to take you seriously, but he couldn't deny that they were absolutely delicious, and as you started to talk and get to know each other more, he stopped questioning your kind gestures and you started to feel more comfortable stepping into the area every day. And you did, without fail, bring him something good to munch on each day, which he appreciated — and just like that, so simply, the two of you were already forming a friendship, which warmed your heart. Perhaps you weren't always the most social person, but you did aim to be liked by everyone by spreading kindness and good vibes, which was why this was making you exceptionally happy.

    You had always been like that — of course, much like everyone else too, you had your weak moments and bad days, but more than few people in your life had called you _sunshine_ , due to your impeccable way of radiating with positivity majority of the time. That was why it was easy for your family and friends to picture you as the owner of a quaint, lovely little bakery, because no doubt everyone loved to step in only to find such a bright smile waiting on the other side of the counter, warm pie and cinnabons already being offered. It hadn't been one of those childhood dreams in your case, but with time, the idea had developed and sooner than later, you had kicked off your own business. It hadn't been easy, but at the end of the day, it was very much worth the struggles and bumps on the road you had bravely taken on by yourself.

    It was yet another similar day, just like the rest, with you walking across the street while a warm container of apple pie rested in your hands, about to pay a visit to your step-brother. But it was, in fact, not like any other day, because that was the first day you saw _him_. You had only ever stepped foot to the very edges of the property, since your brother usually met you there to catch up, but today seemed to be one of the busiest days of the project, as he was nowhere to be seen and people were buzzing around the place quickly enough to make your head spin.

    Licking your lips, you decided to be brave and go looking, which resulted in you meekly asking one of the large men if they had seen your brother. You were guided into the right direction, and before you even realized, you found yourself climbing to one of the higher floors of the torn building with your heart racing in your chest and the container shaking in your hands. However, a relieved smile painted across your face when you spotted the right man a few feet away from you, and you were quickly rushing towards him, only to be startled by a loud crash beside you.

    Jumping slightly, you directed your wide eyes to the source of the sound, only to find someone harshly swinging a sledgehammer into one of the walls, nothing but raw power and fierce feeling in the wrecking. With a gulp, you looked away, only to find your step-brother in front of you with an arm reaching over your shoulder, his eyes glancing back at the bearded man cautiously. While you subconsciously handed him the pie, you looked up at your brother just to find him with his eyebrows knitted together in a mixture of concern and annoyance.

    "Who is he?", you couldn't stop yourself from whispering, and instantly, your brother's eyes darted over to you whilst he shook his head.

    "I don't even know. No one, don't care about him. Uh, thank you, for this", he flashed a smile, gesturing towards the small box you had given, and in return, you nodded — a happy expression on your features, as well. "You should go", he then continued, "I gotta get back to work too, and you probably haven't eaten your own lunch yet, huh?", and with a sheepish chuckle, you confirmed that it was true. You did always put him ahead of you, and on more than one occasion you had survived the rest of the day with cupcake frosting and whatever was left of some berries you had used. Therefore, you didn't put up a fight.

    "Yeah", you smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow."

    With one quick hug, you said goodbye to one another, and parted ways as swiftly as they had connected. Turning on your heel, you started to walk away, only for the men around your brother to whistle, breaking into cheers with a few comments like, _"Oh, that's your sister? Damn, she taken?"_ , some of them truly disgusting. However, you elected to ignore them, but it seemed everyone wasn't capable of such — as you passed the man who had been aggressively hammering down the wall in front of him, you noticed he had stopped, and for a split second, your eyes met his. 

    But, you were quick to look away and pick up your pace, intending to leave the construction site right away.

—————

    THE NEXT DAY, you were returning to the site, with a little bit more bravery in your heart this time. It threatened to falter when you were instructed into the same place as yesterday, but just because a couple of jerks had shamelessly catcalled at you, you refused to skip a day for the first time ever, and continued your way — on time, as always. You were faced with disappointment this time, though, because your step-brother wasn't there, and before you could look around more, your phone had made a familiar ping to inform you of the arrival of a new text message. While your other hand balanced the brownies you had baked, the other fished your phone out of your pocket, leading into finding an apologetic text from your brother. 

    _So sorry I forgot to tell you, but I got really sick last night so I'm not at work today. Don't worry, wasn't because of the pie though x_

    Sighing, you made a silent promise to wish him health and well-being once you'd get out, since you had no plans on staying any longer than necessary. God only knew what those guys had in mind, especially now that your brother wasn't around to keep them in check — not that it had gone very well yesterday, though.

    You were just about to walk back down but before you did, you found the same guys, the very same who had flung quite a few nasty comments your way, harassing the quiet, lonely man with a mean swing. For a second there, you were allowing yourself to walk by, but it was when they tossed his lunch across the floor and made sure it was utterly inedible that you felt your heart twist with aching for the poor man, who refused to stand up for himself — all he did, was stand there in silence and look down while the others laughed in his face and then walked off.

    You didn't doubt that he could have very well defended himself — he was, after all, quite the large man, with muscles you could have seen all the way from your bakery, but for whatever reason, he had decided not to. Which gave you no choice but to be the friend he clearly had a lack of. 

    What kind of a person would you be, if you just walked away now, leaving behind the man whose lunch had been stomped on — _especially_ when you were carrying a couple of brownies with you?

    You couldn't deny that you were slightly— well, _very_ nervous as you took the first step towards him, silent but shaky when you approached him. He didn't seem to notice you at first, or so you thought, concluding from the blank expression on his face, but when you did finally speak up with your hand extended out, he didn't flinch. Nor did he look at you.

    "Here", you broke the silence that had landed into the floor once the bullies had disappeared far enough for their laughter to be nothing but a bitter memory. "It's, uh— brownies. My brother isn't at work today, so...", you trailed off, surprising even yourself with how weak and quiet your voice was, but concluding from the twitch of his fingers and the slight turn of his head, so small he could probably only see the tip of your boots, he had heard you. Yet, he was hesitant to accept the container and your gesture, which you concluded from the way he remained stoic and quiet in front of you.

    "It's okay, really. You, um, you don't have to say anything, or—or take it, if you don't want to. But I've got plenty back at my bakery, so I'll just...", you cleared your throat before taking a step back, your eyes never leaving the long curls of his dark hair, or the sharp jawline adorned with a thick beard, "...leave this here", and with that, you lowered the brownies onto the floor, right next to the new wall he was working on. You felt like saying sorry for the unfair treatment he was getting, but something told you he didn't want or need your pity, so you just nodded in silence before walking away, hoping and praying that he'd warm up to the idea of eating something.

    Only when you had reached the street, the workers and the debris behind you, you felt you could finally breathe again. And when you turned and looked up to the floor you had just left, you found the man sitting a little higher, on the rooftop, his feet hanging over the edge and your box of brownies resting on his lap. 

    That made you smile.

—————

    YOUR NEXT RETURN to the construction site was somehow different. Perhaps because it no longer felt like you were only returning for your brother — now, you came back with two containers, one for him and one for the mystery man, veiled in silence and a sense of sadness. However, you respected his privacy, just allowed him to know that he could talk to you, if he wanted to. Until then, you expanded your habit of stopping by, and each time you handed your step-brother something to eat, you also left something for the stranger. You could tell your brother didn't particularly like you getting that close to him — something you figured was because he did radiate with a hint of danger and an unstable mind, but that didn't stop you from leaving lunch for him at the same spot every day. 

    There were times when it felt pointless, like you were just wasting your time and he only ate your baked goods because he had to, but you were proven wrong when you, on one sunny day, found a thank you note in your usual spot. And that was all it said — thank you — but it was enough to make you smile, in the belief that it was a sign of him slowly opening up, and perhaps even beginning to trusting you. After all, that was all you wanted — him to have someone to rely on, because it sure as hell didn't seem like his co-workers were much of the sympathetic, kind type. Sometimes, you even wondered if your brother was taking part in the bullying, but you chose to have faith in him.

    Just like you continued to have faith in the mysterious stranger. You had hope, as well, and that was why you, on one day, lingered around for a little longer than usual, your fingers nervously playing with the hem of your shirt while you prayed you wouldn't stutter.

    "I'm Y/N", you introduced yourself to him for the first time after over a week had passed, and from the way his hands stopped gripping the sledgehammer and his eyebrow quirked just the tiniest bit, you could tell you had his attention. And for a fair while, he was silent as always, but clearly pondering whether or not he should speak up and introduce himself. 

    Much to your delight, he decided to show his gratitude for the things you did for him by doing just that.

    "Frank", his voice was gravelly and low, so _so_ low you had to play it through your mind a couple of times to realize just what he had said. It seemed to taste weird on his own tongue too, as if he had been thinking of another name, but the look that appeared in his dark eyes was different than before, and you could have sworn it was devoid of regret and misery for one fleeting moment. Like he had been waiting for this for a while. And that obviously made you smile.

    "It's nice to meet you, Frank", you nodded, and that was all you said before parting ways yet again, him returning to work and you walking back to your bakery — but it was never proper goodbye, because you both knew you'd be back tomorrow. Besides, every time you left and rushed back to the bakery across the street, Frank made sure to let his gaze follow you until your frame had disappeared through the doorway, a way of making sure you got there safely, and also a way to keep his heart warm and mended. 

    In fact, you stopping by had become the highlight of his otherwise gloomy days — he had not much to live for, in all honesty, but amidst all that darkness, those nightmares that bled into his sleep and then back into real life, you appeared as a flicker of light and hope for him.

    Somehow, he was the same to you. You hadn't gone through what he had, not in the slightest, and you had never felt pain and torture like him, but your days had begun to blend together the same way — repetitive, mundane, leaving you hoping for something different to ignite a spark in your life. It took you a while to understand, but at night when you were trying to sleep, you found yourself thinking about Frank, and how you could not wait to see him again.

    You had even forgotten about the rude men in the construction site, and although Frank had to endure their asshole behavior on a daily basis, he was managing to push all that anger deep down, as well. However, it rose to the surface for the both of you on one dark evening — it was already getting late, and the streets were growing silent with each passing moment, except for the construction site. You were kind of used to the noise by now, and in a way, you were glad that it kept you awake on the nights you had to stay in the bakery through the most ungodly of hours, but this time, it caught your attention more than usual.

    Through the large window in your shop, you could see the light in the highest floor of the wrecked building, illuminating a familiar mess of dark hair while a pair of strong arms swung the sledgehammer into the wall repeatedly. You weren't quite sure if the sounds were coming from the harsh impact, or rising from Frank's throat with each aggressive hit. Nevertheless, you figured that he was avoiding going home and sleeping, and with the smell of chocolate chip cookies you had just pulled out of the oven, you connected the dots and made a quick decision.

    It didn't take you long to get the cookies in one of the small boxes, and soon enough, you were making your way to the construction site and across the dark yard. But you didn't make it very far, when familiar laughter had reached your ears and you froze at the sound, a lump rising in your throat when you stopped on your tracks and turned around to find the group of men approaching you. Sadly, your brother was not among them, which increased the panic pulsing through your veins already.

    "Hey, it's you! The—the sister", one of the guys figured out quickly, and from the crash of a bottle, you realized they were drunk, or at least on the path to getting there. "Here to see that boyfriend of yours, huh? The gimp?", they laughed, and you felt your free hand balling into an angry fist, one that you would have loved to toss across the guy's face, but you held yourself back.

    "He is only a friend. Ever heard of one?", you gulped, trying your very best to remain strong and calm, but you couldn't stop yourself from looking up over to Frank, finding him staring back at you and the men ominously approaching you. The noise had already died down, but his hand was still gripping the sledgehammer tight, though the sounds of his swings were now replaced by the cruel laughs from the handful of guys surrounding you, as if they were predators eyeing their prey. 

    With a thick swallow, you looked back at them, your hand still clutching the cookies. "You really shouldn't waste your time with him. We'd be so much better company. And you do look like a smart girl... pretty, too", one of them shrugged as he took a step closer to you, and in an instant, you felt the need to run. You recognized a threatening situation easily, especially when you were in the middle of one.

    Before you could do anything, though, he had leaped towards you and grabbed your wrist tight, causing the cookies to scatter all over the ground while another man appeared behind you and made sure to hold you in place. You felt your stomach twisting and turning, and when the man's iron grip moved from your hand to your face, you couldn't stop the tears from burning in your eyes as you tried to writhe away. But it only resulted in tighter holds on your body. 

    Suddenly, the man in front of you howled in pain and you felt like falling into relief, but there was too much fear in your heart for all of it to fade away, so instead you let your cries break free as the hold on your face dropped. However, although the man disappeared from your vision, another grabbed you from behind and you screamed for him to let you go, to no avail, until he, too, had collapsed onto the ground. Blood splattered onto your face, and as you gasped sharply and let your body tumble backwards, you found yourself looking at Frank, who was putting his sledgehammer to good use, the rough edges coming in contact with the bones of everyone who had even _looked_ at you.

    He didn't hold back, instead he used all of his force with each hit, causing you to cover your ears at the sound of all the disgusting crunches, snaps and splurts. You were unsure how much time passed, but eventually, it became silent except for Frank's ragged breaths and your sniffles in the dark night. You felt _cold_ and hollow, until a large, calloused hand suddenly landed on your shoulder. You jumped, and your eyes snapped open, but your firm muscles relaxed as soon as you realized you were looking at him — your friend. And somehow that was all you could see, despite the blood on his face and the anger, which was slowly fading into a hint of concern.

    "They hurt you?", he rasped out, his words afraid of the answer, but there wasn't much else he could do to make them pay — he had slaughtered all of them, and even though that should have scared the shit out of you, it only made you feel safer. 

    Quietly, you shook your head, although after a few days you'd have a few bruises to say otherwise, but it could have been much worse. "You saved me", you whispered as you stared into Frank's deep eyes, only then truly realizing how handsome he was — ironic, really, considering he was at his worst, and it pulled a chuckle from you as you shook your head. Covered in blood, a group of bodies at his feet, probably no regrets in his mind or heart, and yet you found yours racing for him. 

    His hand let go of your shoulder, and immediately, you found yourself missing the feeling. "Thank you", you continued, and with a low grunt, he acted as if it was no big deal. But it really was. "This could have ended a lot worse without you here", your voice dropped slightly as you imagined the possible outcomes, but when you looked around and noticed that this was quite horrifying too, you couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't funny, it really wasn't, but you were in too much shock to care, which caused the corner of Frank's lips to pull up slightly.

Offering one of his bloodied hands for you, Frank stood up, and accepting the gesture, you followed his lead. And as he offered to walk you home, and you countered by offering a chance to shower at your place, you had a hunch there was going to more to your bond than just brownies, and that there was definitely more to him than the silent, mysterious man, who you — surprisingly — didn't regret meeting. Not one bit.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is my first attempt at publishing something on this site, so go easy on me because I'm still trying to figure all this out! I have been writing on Wattpad for about 4 years, but this felt like the right place to post this. I should also mention that English isn't my first language so I apologize for any mistakes!
> 
> I binge-watched the whole first season of The Punisher when it was released and since then I've been dying to write some Frank, because I've been in love with him for ages. Now for good haha. He is a very complex character to write though? Anyway, I have a few one shots that I might publish, but like I said, I'm still figuring this out so I'm not sure.
> 
> Feedback would be much appreciated, and I only hope I got his character at least somewhat right here (: Thank you x


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